AN ex-police officer spat a string of racially abusive comments at an Asian shop keeper after the pair rowed over a skip.

Dylan Thomas Jones’ building company, Draig Services, had carried out work in Mangla Dodiya’s convenience store in Canton, Cardiff, the city Magistrates’ Court heard.

Jones, a former teacher and one-time extra in long-running S4C soap, Pobol y Cwm, went to the mini market on Pembroke Road, Canton, Cardiff, on December 3 to sort out the problem of a skip, which had been left outside for three weeks after work there had finished.

Mrs Dodiya, originally from India, told the court: “As I was leaving my shop Dylan was shouting at me.

“I was really horrified. I couldn’t sleep that night. I thought he was going to put a petrol bomb under the shop.”

Customer Mary Hayes told the court: “The language that was used was extremely racist.

“I was extremely shocked to hear that being said.”

Jones, 45, a father of three, of Murch Road, Dinas Powys, was yesterday convicted of racially aggravated harassment.

He was fined £300 with £200 court costs and a £15 victim surcharge and must pay £100 compensation to Mrs Dodiya.

Jones admitted saying Mrs Dodiya’s breath smelled and retorting “at least I’m not a Paki” when she called him a “smelly white pig and a white lump of lard”.

But he denied using any other insults.

He said: “I’m an educated man. I’ve been to university twice.

“I don’t feel the need to use four-letter words to get my point across.”

When Jones was arrested he told police in interview there was a “cultural thing with Asian people trying to cut the legs from under you. If you do a job and the job is good, then why is there an issue with payment?”

Jones denied he was a racist and said: “I’ve got numerous friends of different colours. I made the comment as a direct result of what was said to me. It’s a bit of a childish thing to say.”